Natural Certification Standard – Home Care Products
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Natural Products Association Standard and Certification for Natural Home Care Products In order to protect the consumer and best equip the consumer and to maximize the consumer’s well- being, we have developed Natural Products Association Standard and Certification for Home Care Products. It is a set of guidelines that will dictate whether a product can be deemed truly “natural.” It encompasses select home care products including but not limited to laundry, dish, concentrated and ready-to-use hard surface cleaners, and wipes. The following is the standard as of April 1, 2017: • All products that are labeled or branded “Natural” must: – Be made with at least 95% all natural ingredients (not counting water) with the remainder of ingredients limited to “allowed synthetics” (see Appendix II) • What is “Natural”? – Ingredients that come or are made from a renewable resource found in nature (Flora, Fauna, Mineral), with absolutely no petroleum compounds. These natural ingredients are made with the following illustrative list of allowed processes: Amination of Alcohols and Fatty Acids Reagents: Ammonia, Alkyl Amine Catalysts: Nickel, Palladium, various known other reducing agents Agricultural Inputs: Alcohols, Acids, Aldehydes, Ketones Description: The process of introducing an amine into an alcohol or fatty acid. Distillation of Essential Oils Reagents: Water (high-pressure steam) NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 1 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org Catalysts: None Agricultural Inputs: plant material (flowers, herbs, spices, etc.) Description: The physical process to acquire essential oils from plant material. Esterification OR Transesterification to Produce Esters Reagents: None Catalysts: Sulfuric/Phosphoric Acid; KCO3, NaCO3, NaOH, or KOH Agricultural Inputs: Acid and Alcohol, e.g. Fatty Alcohol, Glycerin, Ethanol, Acetic Acid Description: The process of forming an ester bond between and acid and an alcohol, can be catalyzed by either an alkali or acid. Etherification of Glycerin making PolyGlyceryls Reagents: None Catalysts: Alkali (NaOH or KOH) Agricultural Inputs: Glycerin (product of fat-splitting) Description: The process of forming ether bonds between two compounds of natural glycerin (see fat-splitting) to form polyglyceryls by heating with an alkali. Polyglyceryl products are indicated with a number to represent the number of glycerin molecules linked together. Extraction Reagents: CO2 Catalysts: None Agricultural Inputs: Plant material (flowers, herbs, spices, etc.) Description: The physical process to acquire plant extracts from original plant material. Fat-Splitting of Oils to Produce Glycerin and Fatty Acids NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 2 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org Reagents: Water (high-pressure steam) Catalysts: Metal/Metal Compound Catalysts (Zinc Oxide, Nickel, Palladium, Platinum) Agricultural Inputs: Triglyceride fats and oils; Carbohydrates, Sugars Description: The process of splitting natural fats and oils into glycerin and fatty acids, a kind of hydrolysis. Fermentation Reagents: None Catalysts: Enzymes Agricultural Inputs: Carbohydrates, Sugars, Bacteria, Yeasts, Fungi Description: The process of converting carbohydrates into alcohol and carbon dioxide or organic acids. Glucosidation of Fatty Alcohol and Glucose Reagents: None Catalysts: Toluene Sulfonic Acid Agricultural Inputs: Glucose and Fatty Alcohol Description: The process of attaching glucose to an alcohol, a type of etherification (e.g. Coco Glucoside). Hydrogenation of Oils Reagents: Hydrogen Catalysts: Nickel, Platinum or Palladium Agricultural Inputs: Triglyceride fat/oil usually Description: The process by which unsaturated bonds are reduced by the addition of hydrogen with a catalyst, specifically converting unsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones or waxes to oils. NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 3 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org Hydrogenolysis of Methyl Esters of an Oil to Make Fatty Alcohols Reagents: Hydrogen from Natural Gas Catalysts: Methanol; Nickel, Platinum, Palladium Agricultural Inputs: Methyl or Ethyl Ester of Triglyceride fat/oil (fat/oil original ag input) Description: The process by which hydrogen is utilized to break chemical bonds converting a fatty acid ester into the fatty alcohol and methyl or ethyl alcohol (whichever is used for the ester). This process can also be utilized directly on the fatty acid without conversion to the ester first. Hydrolysis of Complex Proteins into Simple Amino Acids Reagents: Water Catalysts: Enzymes or Alkali (KOH or NaOH) Agricultural Inputs: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Sugars Description: The process of breaking down complex proteins into water-soluble amino acids or peptides (if partially hydrolyzed). Oxidation with Mild Agents Reagents: Dilute H2O2, O2, Silver and Copper salts Catalysts: Silver, Copper Agricultural Inputs: Plant-based Alcohols, Aldehydes Description: The process by which alcohols and aldehydes are converted to acids by oxidation. Protein Fragment Acylation to make e.g. Cocoyl Glutamate Reagents: KOH or NaOH Catalysts: Phosphorous Trichloride or Thionyl Chloride Agricultural Inputs: Fatty Acid and Protein Fragment NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 4 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org Description: The process of attaching a fatty acid to a nitrogen-containing compound. The fatty acid is converted to a fatty acid chloride before attachment to the nitrogen of a protein fragment (e.g. glutamic acid). Saponification of Oils to Make Soap Reagents: Alkali (KOH or NaOH) Catalysts: None Agricultural Inputs: Triglyceride fats and oils Description: The process by which fats or oils are split into the glycerin and the free fatty acids by the addition of an alkali, a type of hydrolysis. Sulfation of Fatty Alcohol to make e.g. Sodium Coco Sulfate Reagents: Sulfate/SO3 and NaOH Catalysts: None Agricultural Inputs: Fatty Alcohol Additional Note: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) from petrochemical sources not allowed Description: The process of converting a fatty alcohol into the sulfate ester to produce a surfactant. Sulfonation of Non-Alcohols to make Sulfonated Anionics (methyl esters, etc.) Reagents: SO2, SO3, Sulfuric Acid Catalysts: None Agricultural Inputs: Methyl or Ethyl Ester of Triglyceride fat/oil (fat/oil original ag input) via dehydrated plant-based alcohol Description: The process by which an SO3 group is attached to the carbon atom of esters. NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 5 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org • An allowed synthetic* non-natural ingredient (see Appendix II) can be used: – Only when there is not a readily available, commercially viable, natural alternative ingredient equivalent –Only when there are no suspected human health hazards as identified by appearing in the authoritative lists of prohibited ingredients – Only when required for trade-acceptable product – Only when made using allowed processes – Only when synthetic does not appear on the Prohibited Processes nor Prohibited Ingredients list below –At no more than a 5% cumulative level in the final formulation (calculations do not include water) – *Synthetic definition is based on the NOP definition and is a substance which has been formulated or manufactured by a chemical process outside of the list of allowed processes or was derived from a source other than a naturally occurring plant, mineral or animal source. • Ingredients that are prohibited: – Animal-based materials where the animal is harmed – By-products of animal renderings – Ingredients that have suspected human health hazards as indicated by authoritative organizations and appearing on the Prohibited Substance lists: 1 2 3 o No carcinogens , mutagens or reproductive toxicants 1 Carcinogens: IARC Group 1, 2A, 2B; REACH Carcinogens 1, 2; NTP – Known or Reasonably Anticipated Human Carcinogens; EPA IRIS; Prop 65 Carcinogen (relevant exposures for consumer product use or manufacturing); NIOSH Potential Carcinogen; EPA IRIS Carcinogen Assessment NHC Natural Standard 040517 Page 6 of 12 Natural Products Association · 440 1st Street NW, Ste. 520, Washington, DC 20009 · ph: (202) 223-0101 · fax: (202) 223-0250 [email protected] · www.NPAinfo.org 4 o No endocrine disruptors 5 o No ingredients identified as hazardous waste 6 o No environmentally persistent, bioaccumulative, or toxic compounds – Ingredients that are made with, but not limited to the following processes: 7 o Processes which are inconsistent with the 12 Principles of Green Engineering o Processes which create undesirable by-products or impurities such as 1,4-dioxane, parabens, heavy metals, formaldehyde, such as: • Benzene processing which creates parabens • Acidification of ethoxylates which produces 1,4 dioxane • Petrolatum/Mineral Oil/Paraffin produced from petrochemical sources which contain undesirable impurities o Processes which create carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, or endocrine disruptors o Processes